Thursday, March 19, 2009

Three petroleum companies on Thursday announced a new round of price hikes for their diesel products. Total Philippines, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation and Chevron Philippines, in separate announcements, said they will increase the pump prices of their diesel products by P0.30 per liter.

Shell and Chevron's price hikes came into effect 12:01 a.m . Friday, while Total's price hike will come into effect 6 a.m. The three companies cited higher product costs for the price increase.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is extending a 20 percent tax discount for persons with disabilities through the issuance of Revenue Regulation 1-2009. he 20 percent tax privileges may be claimed by the person with disability whenever he buys goods or services from any establishment. These include hotels and similar lodging inns and restaurants, sports and recreational centers, theaters, cinema houses, concert halls and other similar places of culture, leisure and amusement.

Persons with disabilities may also avail of the 20 percent tax discount on their drugstore purchase such as medicines.

They may also avail of the discount for their purchase of government medical and dental facilities and domestic air and sea transportation, Esquivias also said.

The discount will be based on the actual fare except promotional fare, and land transportation including skyways and expressways.

Esquivias said that in order to claim these privileges, the disabled person must present proof of his entitlement such as Identification (ID) card issued by the city mayor or barangay captain where he resides, passport, or transport discount fare ID card issued by the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons (NCWDP) or Local Government Units (LGUs).

However, the BIR chief clarified that for a person with disability who is also a senior citizen, he can only claim one 20 percent discount on a particular sales transaction.

The establishments which granted the sales discount to persons with disabilities may claim the discount as deduction from their gross income when they file their returns with the BIR.

Celso delos Angeles Jr., the embattled owner of the troubled Legacy Group, has expressed his willingness to plead guilty to the string of charges filed against him but with a condition, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said Thursday. In exchange for his guilty plea, Delos Angeles wanted the charges of syndicated estafa against other personalities embroiled in the Legacy controversy dropped.

"The emissary said Delos Angeles is willing to plead guilty to all the charges pero siya na lang, huwag na isama 'yung iba [provided that only he would be liable to the offenses]," Gonzalez said.

Syndicated estafa, a capital offense, involves intent to defraud someone from the very beginning. Bail could not be granted if the court finds that the evidence of guilt against the accused is strong.

The Justice Department is investigating the wave of charges against Delos Angeles, other Legacy officials, and even the Delos Angeles' estranged wife, Ma. Concepcion Panlilio-De los Angeles, and son, Martin Nicolo.

Gonzalez said he is not keen on accepting De los Angeles' offer since it would lead to a lesser offense. "Lahat 'yan magiging bailable 'pag walang syndicated [The charges may become bailable if syndication is not involved]," he said.

The Maritime Industry Authority through its administrator Ma. Elena Bautista plans to ask President Gloria Arroyo for a P1 billion loan to further improve the local drydocking industry in Cebu, following the decision of Keppel Philippines Marine Inc. to shift from ship repair to shipbuilding.

Despite a court order, officials of Central Command yesterday refused to accept alleged New People's Army (NPA) leader Ramon Patriarca into their custody. CentCom commander Maj. Gen. Armando Cunanan explained they did not accept the request of Cebu Provincial Police director Carmelo Valmoria because they do not yet have a detention cell.

He said they have an agreement with the CPPO that they would put up a detention cell that would be funded by the police office.

According to Cunanan, the present stockade of CentCom is not ready for high-risk detainees like Patriarca because it was built for the personnel of CentCom who violate the rules of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

CEBU City's barangay captains want to raise concerns of their barangays when they meet Mayor Tomas Osmeña during their assembly today, although they intend to leave out the manifesto endorsing him for vice mayor in 2010. Osmeña and Vice Mayor Michael Rama will address the barangay captains during the quarterly Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) general assembly at the Sugbu Building at the South Road Properties (SRP), which city councilors will also attend.

THE Mandaue City Council wants the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to investigate Mayor Jonas Cortes for allegedly hosting a political rally for former president Joseph Estrada, using government funds and with government employees in the audience.

Alleging that prosecutor Mary Ann Castro pushes her weight around at the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation, officials and staff of the bureau yesterday called on the controversial prosecutor to step down as officer-in-charge of BID's Board of Special Inquiry.

The president and chief executive officer of Pag-IBIG Fund has quit his post. Romero F.S. Quimbo resigned because he would run as House representative for Marikina City's second district in the 2010 elections.

Josef Fritzl was convicted of homicide, enslavement, incest, rape and other charges Thursday and sentenced to life in a psychiatric prison for holding his daughter captive for 24 years and fathering her seven children.

Halfway into the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa), the Cebu City Niños are also midway into claiming the overall championship title after accumulating 208 points from 46 gold medals in the high school contest. In the overall standing, Cebu City is also on top with 302 points from both the elementary and secondary divisions. Host team Dumaguete is at a distant second with 152 total points. Bohol is at third, while Cebu Province is at fourth.

Solar Entertainment Corp. said Wednesday that it has fulfilled their part of the contract to Filipino boxing idol Manny Pacquiao as far as payments are concerned, claiming that the fighter's claims on the contrary are baseless.

San Miguel climbed out of a deep hole in the third quarter then leaned on clutch shots by Dondon Hontiveros at the finish as the Beermen subdued the Sta. Lucia Realtors, 98-92, to stay unscathed in the Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference at the Ynares Arena in Pasig last night.

Acting Cebu City attorney Rodolfo Golez threatened to file civil and criminal charges against a concert promoter who reportedly failed to pay his P229,460 amusement tax to the city. Golez said his office had already sent final demand letter to Ferdinand "Bong" Bantilan, manager of BCB Production with office on the 14th floor of Club Ultima Building, to settle his account. Bantilan failed to pay the tax from the "Diva 2 Concert" held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino last January 12.

Dr. Vicky Belo has dumped her current counsel Raymond Fortun for a better-looking lawyer.

Fortun, Belo's lawyer for the past five years, claimed he has received notice of termination of his services in favor of Adel Tamano, who will serve not only as the dermatologist's counsel but her spokesperson as well.